Accommodation sector's income up 7.6%

Total income for South Africa's tourist accommodation industry rose by 7.6% year-on-year (y/y) in nominal terms (current prices) in May‚ Statistics SA's tourist accommodation survey showed.

There was a small rise in the hospitality sector with the number of stay-unit nights increasing by 7.6% in May. Image: JS Creations ZS Free Digital Photos

The survey is conducted monthly and covers a sample of public and private enterprises involved in the short-stay accommodation industry‚ with the results used to compile estimates of tourism satellite accounts‚ as well as the gross domestic product.

Stats SA said that income from accommodation increased by 10.3% y/y in May‚ the result of a 7.5% increase in the number of stay-unit nights sold and a 2.6% increase in the average income per stay-unit night sold.

Stats SA describes a stay-unit as a unit of accommodation available to be rented out to guests. Examples include a powered site in a caravan park or a hotel room.

The types of accommodation that recorded the highest y/y growth rates in income in May were guest-houses and guest-farms (27.3%)‚ caravan parks and camping sites (17.9%) and "other" accommodation (15.2%)

Income from accommodation increased by 11% in the three months ended May 2014 compared with the three months ended May 2013.